• Motorhome owners have mounted campaign
• Calling for facilities to allow them to travel the country

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism and Aviation Cathal Crowe is calling for facilities to be put in place to allow motorhome owners park up and enjoy Co. Clare – but says it must not come at a cost.

A number of motorhome owners from across the country have mounted a campaign against what they feel are measures which discourage them from parking up.

“Earlier today, I held a virtual meeting with a large group of motorhome owners from throughout Ireland,” said Deputy Crowe.

“As a group, they are warmly embracing the idea of a staycation and many of them told me that Clare is one of the top counties on their list to visit.

“However, they say that most scenic spots in Ireland are unsuitable for overnight campervan stays and that signage that has gone up around the country has made them feel somewhat unwelcome.

“They very much want to see a national policy, in terms of overnight camping and have asked me to look into this.

“I have explained to them that a very delicate balance has to be struck here.

“Whilst we want to see motorhome owners visit Co. Clare and enjoy their time here and hopefully spend their money locally, there is a sizeable problem already with illegal roadside encampments which, in recent years, has caused huge upset for residents in our county and also costed Clare County Council hundreds of thousands in legal challenges.

“A lot of people living in coastal communities feel that the removal of height restriction barriers at carparks would serve to entice further illegal encampments.

“The motorhome sector representatives have advised me of locations where they believe best practice can be seen. France has a nationwide network of supervised and properly maintained overnight park-ups for motorhomes and closer to home, Portumna is seen to be leading the way.

“I have told the group that I will make an approach to Clare County Council on this matter and I feel that a way forward may be to have automated barrier systems so that individuals would pay to enter an overnight parking position.

“This charge would be low level for the first night or two then increase and there would be legal undertaking to that as well.

“Another challenge will be having these sites maintained and supervised and it’s for this reason I believe an automated system could work best in Clare.

“This can only happen, however, with the consent of communities and these overnight facilities should only be placed in parts of the county where they’re not in direct competition with more traditional campsites.

“Motorhomes have become increasingly popular in recent years and as we try to see a bounce-back for tourism in the months ahead, they will have a key role to play.

“We must embrace motorhomes, but it shouldn’t come at a cost to local communities.

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• Feasibility study to be carried out into project
• ESB plans to build on strong interest in facility

Clare Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe has welcomed news that ESB is making moves to establish a world class tourism facility at Ardnacrusha Power Station.

A feasibility study is currently being undertaken, with a view to accessing funding under schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, to allow it to be developed.

ESB currently runs a visitor experience in the power station from approximately May to September each year, with visitor numbers of just over 10,000 annually.

However, access to Ardnacrusha is limited – in general, ESB admits only non-commercial groups, which are booked in advance; tours can be provided only at set times on Mondays through Fridays.

Despite this, demand is high for the tours.

“As someone who’s got a huge interest in history, and in particular that of my locality, I really welcome this initiative on the part of the ESB,” said Deputy Crowe.

“At the time it was built a century ago, Ardnacrusha was declared one of the wonders of the engineering world and for the decades that followed its construction, people flocked in their droves to see it for themselves.

“It was a tourism destination in its own right.

“People would buy postcards in Barry’s Shop – which is still trading to this day – and send them home to their families.

“They would make day excursions on foot to the Ardnacrusha

“A lot of current and former employees of the ESB still live in the locality and they’ve been very generous over the years in facilitating school visits on the site.

“In more recent years, it has opened over the summer months to allow people come in and tour the facility.

“There’s currently a very small museum on the site run on a voluntary basis which is a great facility, but it is in need of modernising.

“I really hope the ESB push on with these plans – it would really improve the offering at Ardnacrusha and hopefully start to attract people back once again

“These days, there’s a huge emphasis on the STEM subjects in school – engineering, of course, being one of them.

“As a teacher, I think as many school classes as possible should visit this site and look at how, a century ago, the people of Ireland had the foresight to generate electricity from renewable means and that in the year 2021 we’ve almost gone full circle and we’re again becoming reliant on renewable forms of electricity.”

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• Four projects to receive grants
• Funding targets archaeological heritage projects

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed the allocation of €193,935 to County Clare for four individual projects, under the Community Monuments Fund.

A total of €4.2 million is being rolled out nationally to fund 139 projects; up €1 million from last year, when the fund was first established.

The main aims of the CMF are the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites.

“As an avid historian, I’m thrilled to see that four magnificent historic sites around Clare are receiving these grants,” said Deputy Crowe.

“Clonrush Burial Ground is the only Stream 1 project approved in Clare, with €30,351 awarded for essential repairs and capital works for the conservation and repair or archaeological monuments.

“Under Stream 2, which looks specifically at conservation management plans for archaeological monuments and public access, Kilkerren Battery Fort near Labasheeda has been granted €29,129; Templemaley Church and Burial Ground will receive €13,478 and a sum of €29,950 will go to Kilfenora Cathedral.

“Churches and burial grounds are hugely historical places where we, and the offspring of the diaspora the world over, can trace back our family heritage centuries.

“They are fascinating places to visit but too often can fall into disrepair so this funding for Kilfenora Cathedral, Templemaley church and burial ground and the burial ground at Clonrush is hugely welcome.

“Kilkerrin Battery Fort has a very different but equally interesting history.

“The structure was built between 1811 and 1814 by British forces, one of a half dozen dotted along the Shannon Estuary, as a means to repel a threatened invasion by Napoleonic forces.

“It remained in use for much of the 19^th century and later fell into disrepair but since the 1980s, there have been efforts made to restore this 200-year-old structure.

“The sum of almost €30,000 will make a significant difference to these efforts by the community of Labasheeda.

“Two projects in Clare were sadly unsuccessful in their quest to secure CMF funding but I would encourage these and any other community that feels they could benefit from this fund to start work now on having all their ducks in a row for next year.

“I look forward to visiting each of the four successful applicants for 2021 and seeing what they do with their grants.”

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• Danger of other airlines following Stobart’s example
• Antigen testing can boost sector

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism and Aviation Cathal Crowe is calling for assurances that antigen testing will be used as a viable alternative to PCR testing to allow the aviation sector get back up and running.

It follows the announcement by Stobart Air that it has ceased operations.

“In light of Stobart Air’s announcement, it is essential that urgent actions are taken to prevent other airlines from facing the same fate,” said Deputy Crowe

“Ireland now has a pathway back to a safe resumption of international travel and many people, myself included, look forward to flying this summer in the safe knowledge that other passengers on the plane would be Covid-free.

“Pre-departure testing at airports will ensure that travelling by air will, in all likelihood, be safer from a Covid perspective than travelling on buses, trains and other forms of public transport.

“It remains a huge concern, however, to all that work in the aviation sector that PCR testing may be a barrier to people flying.

“Many Irish people are used to buying a bargain basement air ticket from an airline but the cost of a PCR test, which can be anything up to €150, will make many international trips unviable this summer.

“A number of months ago, the government commissioned a report on antigen testing which was completed by Professor Mark Ferguson this report concluded that antigen was a safe and effective way of testing individuals and I think we now need to embrace it as a parallel testing to PCR testing.

“Antigen tests typically cos less than €10 and can give an accurate read within a half an hour – whereas a PCR test is usually within three days of flying.

“In this way, PCR tests can some way be likened to breathalysing a few hours before going to the pub – it doesn’t capture all of the relevant data.

“For this reason, I think it’s important that antigen tests are factored in as a cheaper and equally effective alternative.

“A family with two kids would face huge costs if they had to take PCR tests, where antigen testing would relieve this burden but also give airlines a glimmer of hope for the months ahead.”

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